Tsubasa Shunraiki in the Press

Articles promoting the upcoming OADs of Tsubasa and XXXHOLiC are slowly appearing in the media.

Today website Hobby Channel published an interview with the cast and producer of Tsubasa Shunraiki.

The following are quotes from producer Rui Kuroki:

How was your discussion with CLAMP-sensei?

Every time we feel some kind of tension. Since it seems like we never release that tension, somehow we want to overcome that [part].

Please explain your enthusiasm while reading the sensei’s scenario.

This time it’s about the Nihon-koku arc, and the story comes to a turning point, so there are many things expressed [in this arc]. I think my job is to bring them beautifully animated.

Translation credits go to the always so helpful Sakura-chan.

Other highlights:

– The seiyuus all talk about how they have been playing these characters for so long. Miyu Irino was in high school when he played Syaoran for the first time and now he’s in university.

– Fye’s seiyuu, Daisuke Namikawa, said that when he first heard that a sequel would be released, he was a “little relieved” to know it wouldn’t be about Celes because he was worried on how he would have to play young Fye.

– Kuroki said that the principal drawing hasn’t started yet.

Lastly, this is a rough translation of the OAD synopsis according to Hobby Channel:

Fye’s past is concluded in Celes country. Kurogane sacrifices his arm in order to escape from Fei Wang’s trap and they finally reach Nihon Country. There, Syaoran strikes a battle with Seishirou for Sakura’s feather. The fight for the feather brings Syaoran inside the “Dream World”, where “the other Syaoran” awaits! What is the shocking truth brought by the outcome of the unavoidable battle?

I think these statements pretty much confirm that the OADs will be mostly focused on Nihon arc.

There’s a small article about Tsubasa Shunraiki in Mainichi as well (though this one doesn’t have any new information).

Tsubasa Shunraiki will be released in March, 2009 with the limited edition of Tsubasa #26.

Five hundred yen says they’ll have to have at least some flashbacks to the end of Infinity, or Yuuko explaining things. And I wouldn’t be surprised if we got Celes flashbacks either.

My real question is: Does the fact that the Nihon arc leads so explicitly into the series-ender mean that they’ve decided to animate the end of the series as well? Or are they going to tie it all up right there?

Oh well, I should just be glad that they’re not animating the Clow arc instead (we all know how well received it is). Nihon isn’t too bad, Infinity would be good but Nihon isn’t bad. As much as I love the Celes arc, I can’t really see it animated, there would be less impact if the Celes arc was animated, it wouldn’t hit all the readers/watchers as hard as the manga. I don’t know why I think that, just a feeling~

I mean, really? Really? If they really wanted to continue, they should have done it straight through. You can’t skip two huge, important arcs like that. I mean, regardless of how people feel about certain arcs, there are things that happen in both Infinity and Ceres that are pivotal to the plot. You can’t just shove major plot points into flashbacks, unless it’s something that’s supposed to have happened pre-series. Skipping two HUGE arcs and trying to explain them via flashback? And getting in everything that has to happen in the Nihon arc? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

i believe they’re skipping arcs both because of the connections between tsubasa and holic in this arc -i mean, the ovas are going to be connected, aren’t they? tsubasa and holic’s- and because it’s going to lead directly to the last arc, probably the next ova -nihon is the last arc before the last, right?-.

I was expecting an original ending since it *might* be the last opportunity they’ve got to release OAD since 1-the series are coming to an end and 2-there would be *problems* if they want to release new OVA in the future, including both TRC/Holic, because of copyrights problems.

That said, if it’s like that, maybe they will make a movie which would conclude everything? But again, I don’t know if they are allowed to mix up trc/holic in a movie…

I’m guessing that they won’t bother splitting Sakura’s body and soul in the OAD. Maybe she even travels with them to Celes (body and soul still stuck together) but then something happens and she gets dragged into the dream world.